Services

The Author Visit

Why host a writer?

Listening to an author share her passion for her craft can inspire both reading and writing.  Hearing an author talk about the process stories go through on the road to publication will endorse many of the language arts lessons you’ve given the students. Listening to how a professional brainstorms, chooses words, researches and rewrites will carry more weight and remain with the student long after the author is gone.  Hearing the process behind a particular novel will generate curiosity and make the students want to see how the end product turned out.

How much does it cost?

Canada Council Rate which is the standard fee most writers agree on. You can access subsidies to lower the cost through The Writers’ Union of Canada writers union.ca.  Click Programs and either click  The Ontario-Writers-in-the-School Programs, if you are a teacher or teacher/librarian, or click the National Public Readings Program, if you are a librarian or any kind of event planner other than a teacher.

What I do

Consider my presentation  a 55 minute long object theatre on writing process.  There is me telling annecdotes  about the creation of an age appropriate book from the idea through to the final rewrite,  and reading from it, there is a power point with images of covers, characters and settings and there are props and activities to involve the student. A question answer period follows.

How large can the audience be?

The maximum number of student I present to depends on the venue.  A library requires a more intimate number cap of 60-100 students, an auditorium can facilitate a maximum based on the seat numbers.

Writing Workshops

It’s nice to have smaller numbers of students (20-40) and larger quantity of time (90 minutes) to facilitate feed back.  Creation of Dialogue, Character and Mood are three topics I can address in one of these.  I am happy designing a special workshop depending on the educator’s needs.

Literary Nights

These are again an object theatre (power point, props, annecdotes, activies) on the writers’ life and work combined with literacy tips tailored for families.